Diversity, equity and inclusion seem to be the catch phrases of the day. We constantly hear that Canadians need more of the above and one can’t refute that idea at all. What I don’t understand is, why do we need to push for something that should come naturally to a modern democratic society in the first place? It has been my experience that the shooting sports had this one figured out from the beginning.
It means that some groups have been simply segregated by certain elements of society over time without any push back. Those elements of society include politicians, oil and gas executives and possibly grocery moguls, which makes them inclusive unto themselves, no?
We now face a barrage of acronyms in the media such as LGBT+2 (apologies for any omissions as I am old and have trouble keeping up with trends) and so on of groups that have not been openly accepted or included in today’s society. But, we are working on it. Here I thought the G stood for gun owners! Apparently I am informed that is not the case.
The middle class, that group that our Prime Minister claims to champion these days is apparently another group that should be included in the same classification as the above. They are now economically disadvantaged as a result of government policies that keep digging into the wallets of us plebeians on a daily basis. The two fastest growing industries in Canada seem to be the big banks on one hand and food banks on the other.
Inflation running at near-record rates and interest rates sky high, apparently for our benefit, and shortages of everything due to supply chain management issues (were have all the primers gone?) we are told by politicians it is all for the better good of society.
So, when was the last time anyone saw their income increase? Well, it seems elected MP’s will be seeing theirs increase soon.
According to Franco Terrazzano in the Toronto Sun on 8 March, 2023:
“On April 1, the federal government is increasing carbon and alcohol taxes while MPs take their fourth pay raise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic… A backbencher currently collects a $189,500 salary. Ministers take home $279,900. Trudeau gets $379,000 from taxpayers. Do they really think they should take thousands more from their constituents, many of whom are struggling to fill the fridge”?
Now this news comes at a time of year when many of us middle class types in the shooting game are faced with paying our annual dues. I must admit that our dues for the PRPC are very reasonable compared to some of the clubs closer to the GTA (sorry, more acronyms).
But, for some of our members, who have just endured the riggers of the pandemic and its associated costs, both financially (seizure of your legally owned firearms) and emotionally (can I feed my family and pay my taxes), this can be a stressful time of year.
While the current media is all consumed with meddling in the past couple of elections by some foreign entities, and who knew what, when and who leaked the information to who, when and so on. Could this all be a smoke screen by politicians to quietly slip up to the public trough again and give themselves a hefty pay raise?
Talk about an inclusive group. Could be time to write a letter to my MP.
Glenn Goodwin